Big Geiger Cove
What diver does not like walls? California is not known for its wall diving but here and there we get some really grand ones—but they are usually high-octane intermediate to advanced dives. How about a low-keyed wall dive with the added bonus of a great kelp-covered reef, giant black sea bass, and huge bat rays? Interested? The reef off the west side of Big Geiger Cove, Catalina is just what you want.

A rock and sand shelf extends off the west side of the cove out about 200 yards. This reef then peaks out at just 18 feet, drops steeply to 30 feet, and then vertically to over 70 feet. At some points there are overhangs and deep crevices. It is not a large wall in length, but exciting just the same, both in physical drama and marine life.

Much of the wall is draped with giant blades of kelp at times almost completely concealing the rock face. Gently push them aside and you will find deep crevices chock full of critters. Urchins spines are favorite hiding places for the tiny but very brightly colored blue-banded goby (a.k.a. Catalina goby). Although small, they are not hard to find due to their bright color and abundant numbers. Photographing them is a different matter. The trick to getting close enough to them to fill your frame is to snap your shot when they are close to or within their urchin spine shelter. They feel safer and it is easier to get a face shot. Get in real tight and you can get their sharp teeth in the photo.

A bit larger resident of these vertical cracks are lobster. There are plenty and some are good sized. At the bottom of the wall are some large boulders where, you guessed it, more lobster can be found. This dive site, however, lies within the invertebrate preserve. The taking of lobster is illegal.

Rounding the corner of the reef southward toward the cove is another section of wall, also with overhangs and steep tall faces. Further toward the cove, the bottom rises and the reef cuts inward and up to a plateau covered with kelp. This is fish city. The top of the reef is absolutely delightful with lush kelp, bright garibaldi, green opal-eyes, blacksmith, kelpfish, señoritas, loads of juvenile calico bass and an occasional barracuda. It is a great place to spend the last part of your dive or, because of its shallow depth, it is easy to spend your safety stop here.

But these are not the only places to explore here. Further to the west is a rather uninteresting bottom of gently sloping gravel bottom with scattered boulders with isolated strands of kelp. This is giant black sea bass territory. And in the sand and gravel, look for the colorful and fascinating mantis shrimp with its swivel eyes, the most sophisticated in the invertebrate world. But that’s not all.

If you have time, and the cove is not full of boats, make a second dive there. The water is shallow, 20 feet or less and the bottom is sand and mud covered with surf and eel grass. The main event are the huge bat rays, most with a five-foot wing span. Odds are you’ll see several. Visibility is not as good here but adequate. Head in real shallow, 10 feet or so, and you’ll see smaller rays and perhaps a leopard shark.

This is a place where you’ll want to make more than one dive, so plan on it.

Dale Sheckler is editor and publisher of California Diving News as well as the producer of the annual SCUBA Show held in late spring-early summer in Long Beach, CA. His also has co-authored the book Southern California's Best Beach Dives (Saint Brendan).